✈️ Updated March 2026: New Space-A Video to a Military rate Disney Cruise in Hawaii

🚨Updated 30 JULY 2025: New Space-A family travel policies Kids 10 and under ID Rules and and recent Patriot Express route changes added.

Quickstart Guide to Military Space-A Flights

Here is a quick 8 step guide to get you started. Each photo is linked to a video where I explain exactly what you need to do in each step. If you’d like to watch my entire playlist on the space available travel program it’s on Instagram, Tiktok and Youtube. Otherwise, this guide is broken into a few sections to get you started.

Step 1: Check Your Eligibility & Send Your Space-A Sign Up E-mail or Form

First Step, you’ll want to make sure you understand your category placement. You can take a deeper dive into your specific category here to see a complete listing of eligible members of the military community that are authorized to fly.

Space-A passengers fall into six categories known as “CATS,” with 1 being the top tier and 6 representing the lowest priority.

Category 6 Eligibility

Most people get tripped up here, especially Cat 6 travelers, because where you can fly depends on which kind of Cat 6 you are. Here’s the cheat sheet:

If you’re not sure which bucket you fall into, your USID card will tell you. Retired members will see “RETIRED”. That’s your golden ticket. Vets with the “100% American Disabled Veteran” designation are in the second tier. When in doubt, ask your local DEERS office before you sign up.

Often you’ll be asked what category you fall in and you’ll want to know this for the sign-up process in Step 3.

You can watch my video explaining the first step here. For a more in-depth explanation on how Categories work and what you’re most likely to be in, see the “How Does Military Space A Flights Work” section below.

After You Know Your Category Here’s How It Works

After knowing your category you’ll submit your sign-up. Keep a copy of this. It expires after 60 days. The best way to sign up that I recommend is e-mailing, over using their online sign-up but I’ll link both below so you can make the decision to do what’s best for you. 

• Click Here for the Automated Sign-Up amc form.
• Click Here for the space available email sign up Manual Sign-up Form.

TIP: You’ll want to include all military passenger amc terminals you may depart from or arrive at for travel. This isn’t you signing up for a specific flight but more just letting the terminal know your intent that you’re ready to be placed in the 60 day queu

Step 3: Roll Call & What to Pack With You

Watch the video for Step 3 here: Watch Step 3

Once you’re signed up and start seeing flights you might catch, it’s time to prep for roll call.

Roll call is the official selection of passengers for each flight, based on category and sign-up date. You MUST be present (in-person or via remote sign-in, depending on the terminal) and ready with all your documents.

What to bring:

• All required Military ID’s for each passenger
• Passports + visas (if flying OCONUS)
• Copy of sign-up confirmation (electronic is fine)

*There are extra required forms depending on your category please check there or call the passenger terminal for verification before showing up for roll call.

And don’t forget your bags:

• Pack snacks, water, layers, and backup chargers
• Military Space-A Packing Guide

Baggage

Each Person is allowed two pieces of luggage up to 70 pounds and 62 linear (length+width+height) inches each. Plus one, 45-linear inch, hand-carried item, e.g. small suitcase, garment bag, backpack. This item must fit under the seat or in available overhead compartments in the cabin area. You’re also allowed, One hand-carried, personal item, e.g. cosmetic case, purse, briefcase. Anything carryon plays by TSA rules. You can also “pool” luggage meaning per family if there’s 3 people you’ll have up to 6 checked items allowed. 

Simply put: Each person can have 2 checked bags, 1 carryon and 1 personal item. 

Step 4: Military Aircraft vs. Patriot Express

Watch the video for Step 4 here: Watch Step 4

Space-A flights happen on two types of aircraft. The Patriot Express and Rotator (Scheduled Military flights) are generally released publicly 30 days in advance of the departure date. Where organic military aircraft flights happen consistently and will show on the website under the 72 hour flight schedule:

1. Patriot Express (PE):

• Commercial-style flights (run by contracted airlines)
• Assigned seats, snack cart, flight attendants
• Fees: $20–$50 per person for customs, taxes, meals
• Departs on regular schedules

2. Military Aircraft (C-17, C-5, KC-135, etc):

• Cargo planes with jump seats or sidewall netting
• No frills, no assigned seats, no guarantee of comfort
• Free or near free (except optional $6 meal box)

Each has pros and cons, but both can get you across the globe for nearly nothing.

Main Space-A Cargo Military Aircraft (72-Hour Scheduled Flights)

When flying on the Cargo Planes you’ll most likely be flying on a C5 or C17 and sometimes even the C130 and the KC-10. There’s also rare occasions when you may be put onto a different aircraft. Once we were put onto a DV(VIP) plane and it was awesome. I think the mystery can be somewhat fun. The military has an extensive fleet of aircraft that you may be placed on. Again everything is mission dependent so that is why the military aircraft can very.

How to Find Space A Flights (72-Hour Specific Schedule)

The flights are released 72 hours in advance and will be located and labeled as such on the Passenger Terminals website. Each Passenger Terminal is solely responsible for updating their own flight schedule. A more step-by-step written process is located below and also in Step 2 of the Quick Start Guide above. 

What Does it Cost to Fly SpaceA via Cargo Plane (72-hour)?

For the most part the military (dod aircraft) grey tailed missions are FREE ? We have gotten to Germany twice completely free by flying there on C-5 missions.

We recently got to Asia completely free from Washington too. Stopping in Guam, Japan and Singapore because all the flights we took were grey tailed missions. If you’d like to watch our Space-A to Asia Vlog series it’s on Tiktok. We show you exactly how that went the good, bad and ugly.

How Much are Space A Flights via Patriot Express (30 Day Schedule)

The cost of the Patriot Express is based on where you’re flying to and from. If going from Europe back to the United States it’ll cost you $40.03 Per Person (International Head Tax Fee $22.10 + FIS $17.93 ). Grey Tailed missions are generally free, see above.

When we did our military space a flights to Europe a few months ago from Travis Air Force Base (California) to Germany we were on a grey tailed mission. It was free. Coming home we flew the Patriot Express from the United Kingdom to BWI. Then took another grey tailed mission from the East Coast back to Travis. Total travel costs for our round trip airfare (family of 4) was $146.60 usd in 2023. Today in 2025 a family of 4 would cost: $160.12.

Here’s the breakdown costs for (2026):

• International Head Tax Fee: $23.40
• Domestic Tax Fee to and from Alaska and Hawaii: $11.70
• Domestic Segment Travel within CONUS Tax Fee: $5.30
• Federal Inspection and Customs Usage Fees (FIS): $18.23

Pros of Flying Patriot Express

Generally these flights are a little more reliable so you can plan better for a super cheap flight utilizing it. You get inflight entertainment, better meals and the seats are generally more comfortable than the C-17’s & C-130’s.

Cons of Flying Patriot Express

They’re assigned seating. If you get put in Economy seating and the flight is full it’s going to be like flying commercial with not much space to move around. Younger kids & animals are on these flights with parents who are overwhelmed. These flights have a longer Roll Call Period of waiting around an additional 1-2 hours before leaving on top of the 2-3 hours it usually takes after Roll Call. You’re paying the Head Tax. 

Step 5: Landing and Getting Off Base

Watch the video for Step 5 here: Watch Step 5

Once you land, your adventure isn’t over. Now you need to actually exit the base, and that sometimes can be tricky.

Things to know:

• Not all bases allow Uber or Lyft pickups
• Some gates are pedestrian-friendly, others are not
• Overseas bases may have stricter rules for gate re-entry

Pro Tip: Download the GRAM for the base before takeoff

Passenger Terminal Travel Grams

A lot of the Passenger Terminals have something called a Travel Gram. If you’re headed to a location where you may not have Data Coverage consider downloading this ahead of time. If a terminal has one it’ll be located on their terminal page. I have also included them into the interactive map to make accessing it easy for you.

Step 6: Meals and What Is Actually Included

Watch the video for Step 6 here: Watch Step 6

There’s no snack cart in the sky on most military aircraft. Here’s what to expect:

• Military cargo planes:
  • Bring all your own food and water
  • Some offer $6 boxed meals (order when manifesting)
• Patriot Express flights:
  • Meal included no extra costs
  • Snacks and drinks may be available

🎯 Pro tip: Always bring your own snacks, even if you think you can order a box or have meals. Delays and swaps happen often and nobody wants to fly hangry.

What’s the Meal Service aboard the Flight?

On Grey tailed missions they generally cost $6 Per boxed lunch. Usually, you’ll get a main course like a sandwich or chicken strips, chips, fruit, something sweet like a multi-grain bar, a bottle of Soda and a bottle of water. Honestly I don’t think they’re bad but they can get old quick if you’re taking several hops back to back. We bring a collapsable bag of extra snacks and a refillable water bottle with us to kind of break up the food on travel days. Check out my video below to see an example of what’s in a Box. 

How it works: Once manifested for the flight, the service counter will ask for payment. This is usually done when checking your bags and getting your boarding ticket. Generally it’s best to have cash on you in case their card reader isn’t working. Most of the time the major terminals have an ATM. After you board the aircraft, the meals will arrive. Usually the flight crew passes them out before takeoff, but sometimes will pass them out shortly after take-off.

Step 7: Parking & Where to Leave Your Car

Watch the video for Step 7 here: Watch Step 7

Flying Space-A usually means long, one way travel… so where do you park your car?

• On-base:
  • Most terminals offer 30 day long term parking. Long-term parking is no longer one rule. Time limits vary widely by terminal:
    • 30 days is the old standard, still common at smaller terminals
    • 60 days at terminals like Ramstein and a few others
    • 179 days at JB Charleston (one of the most generous in the system)
    • No long-term parking at all at some terminals. You’ll need off-base options
  • You’ll fill out a form and place it on your dashboard at most bases. Some require you to register online before arriving.
  • Some bases allow extensions if you call the security forces office before your time runs out. Others don’t, and they’ll tow.
  • Always check your specific terminal’s parking rules before you commit. Their AMC page has it, or call the passenger terminal directly.
  • You may need a friend within a 50-mile radius to move your car for longer stays in MWR parking lots. This rule still holds at most CONUS bases.
• Off-base:
  • Local lots or airport style parking garages
  • More flexibility if you don’t know when you’re returning

🚗 Pro tip: Always snap a photo of your license plate in advance so you have it with you if you’re selected for a flight. It will save you a trip from having to run back out to get it.

Rent a Car One Way

When flying Space-A, flexibility matters. Renting a one-way rental car gives you options if you fly out of one base and return through another, or if your plans shift last minute.

We almost always use Enterprise for this because of their nationwide locations, easy one-way bookings, and military-friendly policies. It’s one of the simplest ways to avoid being stuck or backtracking just to return a car.

You can read exactly why we use Enterprise for Space-A travel in our full review here.

Watch the video for Step 8 here: Watch Step 8

Even seasoned travelers mess this up. Here’s what to watch for:

1. Missing documents — Double check IDs, passports, and immunizations
2. Carryon in the Mail Cabin— You’re not on Delta. Check your bag and be low maintenance
3. Booking flights/hotels too early — Don’t commit until your butt is in the seat (even then it may be risky, we usually wait until we land to book)
4. Forgetting food & Snacks — Always bring backup meals
5. Leaving the terminal between Roll Calls on a PE flight — When a Patriot Express arrives from another base, the terminal usually does a Roll Call right away with whatever Space-A seats look open. Then they do a second Roll Call after the deadline for duty passengers to check in, and that’s when more seats often free up. Travelers who leave the terminal between the two miss flights they would have caught. Stay until the plane boards, even if you weren’t selected at the first Roll Call.
6. Assuming roundtrip — You must re-sign up to return. Do this once you land before leaving the terminal if you’ll be trying to return within 60 days.
7. Not downloading the GRAM before your flight — This helps a ton!
8. Ignoring fees — Expect ~$40–50 on PE flights (taxes + meals)

🧠 The truth? Space-A works best when you treat it like a flexible strategy, not a sure thing.

Traveling SpaceA with Kids

Many Passenger Terminals offer family lounges, which is a huge plus when flying Space-A with kids. These lounges often include toys, play areas, private nursery spaces, refrigerators, and nearby restrooms, making long waits much more manageable for families.

Children 11 and older are required to carry their own military ID issued through DEERS. Younger children can typically fly with a passport or birth certificate. We also recommend printing out benefit numbers for all military dependents ahead of time (available through MilConnect) and keeping them with you just in case.

If you’re traveling as a family, we share practical, real-life advice in our tips for flying Space-A with kids post, including what to expect at terminals and how we handle long waits with children.

Traveling SpaceA with Pets

We don’t have pets. We have never flown with them ourselves, but we have seen a ton of families do it. Flying Space-A with pets is allowed when under orders for PCSing. Service Animals are also allowed to fly with you. There are specific requirements the AMC terminal will need and expenses will be on you, here’s more information linked HERE.

When NOT to Fly Space-A

Space-A is one of the best benefits the military offers. But it isn’t always the right call, and the people who get burned by it are usually the ones who tried to force it into a trip that didn’t fit. Here’s when we don’t recommend it:

When you have hard dates

If you need to be somewhere by a specific day: a wedding, a cruise departure, the start of school, a funeral, your own kid’s birthday… fly commercial. Space-A passengers are the lowest priority on every flight. Even if everything looks good 24 hours out, the mission can change, the seats can disappear, or the flight can fall off the schedule entirely. We’ve seen it happen to people who absolutely needed to be somewhere. Don’t be that family.

When your trip is under two weeks

Space-A travel needs flexibility. Both directions. If you only have 10 days off and you spend three of them trying to catch a flight out, then another two trying to catch one back, you’ve burned half your vacation in passenger terminals. For shorter trips, the math just doesn’t work. Save Space-A for the trips where you can flex by a few days on either end.

During PCS season (mid-May through early September)

This is the busiest time of year for Space-A and not because more leisure travelers are flying. It’s because every PCSing family is taking their seats. Active duty members on orders are higher priority than anyone in Cat 4–6, and they fill up the Patriot Express flights especially fast. If you’re a retiree or 100% disabled vet trying to get to Europe in July? Expect to compete with hundreds of duty travelers and their families. Possible? Yes. Likely to get the first flight out? No.

Over major holidays

Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, and Spring Break are the second toughest windows. Same logic. Too much demand, not enough seats. If your kid has two weeks off school and you want to use it to see Hawaii? Plan around the actual school break, not in the middle of it.

When you’re traveling with weight you can’t reduce

Some military aircraft have baggage weight limits as low as 30 pounds per person. If you’re traveling with kids in car seats plus checked luggage plus the camera gear plus the gifts for grandma… you might not even be eligible for the flight. Pack-light flexibility is part of the deal.

When you have unaccompanied minors or pets that aren’t service animals

Kids traveling without their sponsor have specific rules and exceptions. Pets (other than service dogs) can’t fly Space-A at all, only on PCS orders. If your trip depends on bringing the dog, this is likely not your best option.

Use Space-A when: you have flexibility, time, and a sense of adventure. Skip it when: you have deadlines, kids on tight school schedules, or a non-negotiable end date. The whole point of this benefit is that it’s free and free comes with strings. Knowing which strings matter to your trip is the whole game.

Google Maps Interactive Passenger Terminal Directory

Military Space-A Google Map App for Phone

This is our gift to the Space-A community, completely free. Every military passenger terminal in one interactive map that lives right on your phone through Google Maps. No app to download, no subscription, no paywall. This is the exact map we use when we travel.

👉 Open the Free Space-A Terminal Map

Save it to your phone in 3 steps:

1. Open the link above on your phone
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner
3. Tap “Open in Google Maps” and it saves automatically

That’s it. Every terminal is pinned, color coded by command group, and loaded with contact info, hours, emails, and GRAM links. I’ll keep adding lodging, transport, and local tips for each base as we go, so the more you check back the more useful it gets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are the most-asked Space-A questions from our community and the AMC’s own FAQ. If you have a question not answered here, message us on Instagram @SaltyVagabonds.

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